I'm finalizing my GTS build and keep waffling between Espresso Natural leather and black leather. Exterior will be GT silver. I know there's a lot of Natural leather love here but the configurator does not seem to flatter Espresso nor do the web pics impress me. I also have yet to see any Porsche with an Espresso interior. People happy with their Espresso? What trim did you couple it with? If I went with Espresso I think I'd do the black aluminum.

 

 

Silver on black is just way too common. Go with either the Espresso or Espresso/Cognac combo, those look stunning with GT Silver.

 

A friend went with Cocoa leather (very Espresso like) over Arctic Silver Metallic on his 987.2 Boxster Spyder with PCCB, and I thought he was nuts to skip a black interior—until I saw it. That car, and the Carrera GT, have sold me on dark brown interiors with silver paint.

I'm also a fan of dark blue on dark brown, and dark green on dark brown—so I ticked the box for Espresso Natural Leather with my PTS Oak Green build. Am I happy with it? It is luxurious, smells much nicer than the regular leather interiors, and people constantly comment on how "premium" the car feels and looks inside. I do like the color of Espresso MUCH better than Saddle Brown, and roughly the same as Agate Gray leather (which is a shapeshifter between dark and light, gray and brown)—Espresso will look better with some exterior colors, just as Agate will. Espresso is a rich, saturated brown, but in no way an obnoxious one. It's very cultured looking, much like a really well done piece of leather luggage. I had trouble choosing the other interior trim, as I don't love the standard shiny stuff but the leather dash and console trim that I like with a black or Agate interior was too much brown for me. So I looked into the anthracite (dark gray) anodized dash/door/console trim from my GT4, but was quoted $3400 as a CXX. I passed, and sometimes wonder if that one tweak would have been the one that "made" the interior. Adding the dash and console trim is easy for $1000-1500. But the doors are a different matter. I guess I could have ordered the leather trim to handle the doors and then added the gray dash trim later, but that would be...$3000~.

So, do I like the interior? It makes a design statement that I like, indeed being more interesting than black or black leather while also feeling and smelling wonderful. But I think I've learned that I'm a black interior guy—and that I may not be a full-leather interior guy. I like them, but not sure I need them as the regular vinyl looks good to me, and I like that it isn't "precious." Would I do Espresso on this car if I had it to do again? Tough call...I'd say 50/50. On a GT Silver car? Yes, I just might—because silver/black is so expected and I can't believe how great my friend's Spyder looks every time I see it. One last thing: By the time you are looking at Espresso Natural Leather, you might want to look at Leather to Sample if it's available. For $1000~ more, you get deviated stitching, carpet color choice, and access to a LOT of colors...and, last I checked, several of them in Natural leather, which I am now a big fan of. It smells great, and has a nicer grain than the regular leather. There's a "LTS" thread floating around here somewhere with Z356's name on it...and a lot of good info there. GT Silver Metallic, Black, White, or Agate Gray Metallic with Palm Green would also be on my radar, though there are some tricky calls to be made with a few interior bits they can't do in green, particularly the lower doors—though I suppose anything is possible so I might proceed anyway. Ascot Brown (Carrera GT) happens to look good on GT Silver with black carpets and the various black bits they can't do in Ascot...

 

Personally, I wouldnt do any shade of brown but thats just me. The beauty of black is it goes with, aluminum trim , black trim and CF trim. You can always make a black interior look virtually brand new many years later. I wouldnt have thought that brown and silver go together but I have seen a couple. Interesting but not for me......its your car brother so thats all that matters.

 

I like dark brown with silver, and the espresso natural is very dark. You usually mistake it for black. I dont see that you can have just espresso, it looks like espresso / cognac combo only
If I was choosing I wouldnt do espresso only, I would have the dark and light combo

 

Would be good, it is of course a very dark brown coffee look and natural leather is far different than the stretched standard stuff. Supple, thick and great to touch and Butt comfortable. Same leather as used in the other cars but not split and stretched.....direct and cured, from the donor to the car.
GT Silver has a rich look in person....this leather as well. I have it full around in two cars...Lava TboS coupe, carbon fiber trim, orange stitch and yellow dials....and Mahogany Metalic GTS cabi, brushed alllu trim, brown stitch and white dials. Pcars have great interiors but natural leather sets the car apart....touch and smell with looks and comfort.... a bit of added lux. Bucks well spent.

 

I had a midnight blue 997 with cocoa interior. I thought that it looked rich and luxurious, and it was well-liked by nearly everyone that saw it in person. Over time, however, I tired of it and thought that it was a little boring. I think that I would do the two-tone brown in the future, but not uniform brown. I currently own a GT Silver C4 with black full leather. It's obviously a common combination, but I still like it. I didn't have the guts to do red/black interior.

 

^ A strong red interior can look great but is a lot to live with, I reckon—so I wouldn't have the guts, either. Wish Porsche would do a true oxblood interior, rich and on the darker side. Maybe a bit mottled too, like the Cork interiors of old?

 

Here are a few Expresso with either Rhodium or GTsilver.

Cheers, -Peter

 

Espresso, definitely. Especially if this will be a keeper. As dog bucks said, Natural Leather is not like the other leathers. Its top grain. Thicker, natural, not stamped with grain like the others. That is why people notice it looks, feels and even smells richer. In my experience, not just with cars but furniture, clothing and shoes, top grain leather wears much better over time. Its not even close. There's a ton of leather info in the Z356 thread if you really want to get into it.

Black, not so much. I'm talking black aluminum now. If you want to change the trim for something with more contrast that looks great, painted exterior color GT Silver.

 

Thanks for the info and pics. I am definitely leaning towards Espresso. I don't want to do Espresso/Cognac because I got a dog who will own the rear seats and I need dark leather. I wish I could do a red interior but as much as I like the look in the showroom, I'm just too conservative at heart.

I'm amazed how difficult this choice is for me. I keep my cars for a long time, the GTS is going to replace an 11-year old E90, and I need to get this right.

 

 

I had natural leather Espresso in my white 991.1 coupe and loved it. When I traded for a .2, dealer had it sold within a week. Changed to bourdeax/black with Agate Gray 991.2 cabrio. Will be going back to espresso when 992 order books open.

 

It will be fantastic. It's a pretty dark brown. Do it without regret.